Dwarr – Starting Over (CD)

There are CD reissues all the time. However, many of these re-releases still sound as if they were created in an earlier period.

Dwarr’s 1984 album, Starting Over, has a timeless quality to it that simply is not present in many of the recordings that are reissued every year. This is because Animals touches upon the different musical currents that were present in 1984and creates an utterly unique and haunting release. Animals begins with the titular track, which serves as a guidepost for the twisting and turning path that listeners will take through the album’s 13 tracks. Whether it be goth, melodic metal, industrial, or even ambient music, Dwarr’s different cuts on Starting Over will equally touch everyone.

While each of the tracks on Starting Over stick to a normal track length (2:30 to 4:00), I feel that Dwarr is able to insert so much in terms of subtext and additional meaning that one will likely need to spin the disc multiple times before getting everything that ey has put into it. Candlelight is a perfect example of this, as outwardly it feels simple. Listening to the periphery and to the interplay between the music and the empty spaces creates a fully different context than a casual listen would grant. I’ve Been Thinking is the final track on Animals, and it acts as a solid stop for the title. However, I believe that the track slips in a “To Be Continued” to this effort – check out 1986’s similarly-stellar Animals for yet another transformative effort.

Author: James McQuiston

Ph.D. in Political Science, Kent State University.I have been the editor at NeuFutur / neufutur.com since I was 15. Looking for new staff members all the time; email me if you are interested. Thanks! View all posts by James McQuiston